My primary areas of practice include complex insurance claims, general commercial litigation, and environmental enforcement.  Complex Insurance Claims       An insurance policy is a contract that is contingent on the occurrence of an event.  If that event has now happened, i.e. you have had a property loss, you are entitled to the contract benefits.    Home loss claims are by their nature complex.  They are a mixture of negotiating the value of lost property, interpreting both contract language and custom for repair or replacement decisions, and arguing for coverage if the insurer denies that certain losses are covered.        Maybe you are overwhelmed by the issues and are unsure of your ability to negotiate your own insurance claim. If you are in Illinois, I can represent you and take much of the burden off your shoulders.  Having an attorney on your side can make a difference in how the insurance company views your claim.    I also have experience recovering commercial property losses including disaster, breach of contract,and shipping losses (Carmack Amendment claims) Business Law Research      Oftentimes, a question of legality or contract interpretation will affect transactions that you are considering.  I am available to research specific issues of federal or Illinois state law and will provide an opinion letter from the point of view of legality, business planning, and economics.        I price this work on a fixed fee basis after setting the scope of the question to be researched.  I can also use this research as the basis for a letter to another party on your behalf. Environmental Enforcement      Attorneys have a professional responsibility to use their position as officers of our courts for the benefit of the underserved.  This is often called pro bono work.  I choose to focus my pro bono efforts for the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem.  Toward this end I have provided thousands of hours of legal and director services to Blue Eco Legal Council, an environmental watchdog group that files citizen suits to get the United States government to clean up hazardous waste in our ecosystem.   I can also help you in navigating the complex environmental statutes such as CERCLA, RCRA, and the Clean Water Act.

Your Free Book  Now After the Fire by Steven B. Pollack If you or someone you know has just suffered a large fire, order my free book on surviving the first two months of your insurance claim